Give A Little
by taitofan
Summary: Kokichi gave him a misshapen chocolate lump for Valentine's Day, and now it's time for Shuuichi to return the favor on White Day. (Oumasai, AU where the v3 kids are Class 79-B at Hope's Peak Academy)


Give A Little

by taitofan

Rated T

Disclaimer: I don't own New Danganronpa v3 or its characters.

Author's Note: I totally forgot about White Day until the day before, so I scrambled to write this. Please note that this takes place a month after Sugar/Sweetest Thing and a week after I'll Go As Myself.

If you have any CC, please share and I'll listen. Please read, review, and enjoy! Finished 03-13-17

* * *

Almost one month after Kokichi gave him an overly sweet chocolate lump, Shuuichi found himself at a loss. He'd never had to buy anything for White Day before. It was easy enough, in theory. Kokichi would like any sweets or jewelry Shuuichi could get him, but, well, it just seemed a little _too easy_. Kokichi had tried his best to make Valentine's chocolates, so shouldn't he too make something with his own two hands?

"I don't know why you're so worried. Ouma will eat anything with sugar in it, especially if _you_ made it." Rantarou idly watched as Shuuichi placed little marshmallows around the cupcakes he'd made. Vanilla, with pure white frosting, a bit of almond extract in it. He was taking the _white_ in White Day seriously. "At least _your_ boyfriend can eat. My options are a _little_ more limited if I want to give him something traditional."

Shuuichi hummed thoughtfully, completely okay with helping Rantarou out rather than think about his own issues.

"Doesn't Kiibo like your jewelry?" He'd noticed Kiibo watch the sunlight dance off Rantarou's earrings more than once. "Perhaps you could buy him something of his own? Matching bracelets? I'm sure he'd appreciate something like that."

Rantarou went very quiet, an intense expression on his face. Even after almost a year of being friends, he was still a little unnerved whenever Rantarou got that scary look on his face.

"…Saihara, you're a genius. I've gotta get to the shops before they all close, thanks, bye!"

Rantarou was out of the kitchen before Shuuichi could say a single word. Oh well. Having company had been nice, but he was almost done and—

"There you are! What are—" Shuuichi almost dropped the bag of marshmallows at the excited gasp that came from behind him. "Are those for me?"

Well, so much for the surprise.

"Kokichi, I thought you were helping Toujou clean the classroom today?" And by help, he meant Kokichi had been given the task as punishment for acting out in class.

"I was, but Toujou said I was making an even bigger mess and should just go find you and leave everything to her. She's so funny!" Shuuichi wasn't fooled for a moment—Kokichi might keep his room cluttered, but he wasn't a slob. He'd purposely done, well, whatever ridiculous thing he'd done to make Kirumi lose her patience. "And I've found you! Hey, can I have one now?"

Shuuichi gently slapped his hand away, ignoring the tears that welled in Kokichi's eyes. As if he was falling for _that_.

"Maybe they _aren't_ for you. Perhaps I made them for the girls who gave me chocolates in the reserve course."

"Leave the lying to _me_ , Shuuichi. Way more than six girls gave you chocolates. Come on, they're for me and I'm right here. Can't I just have one? Pretty please?" He pulled a face that reminded Shuuichi of a sad kitten, and with a sigh, he nodded. Kokichi cheered and grabbed one of the fully decorated cupcakes, peeling back the paper and taking a big bite. Frosting got all over his face, and he looked nothing short of adorable as he beamed up at Shuuichi. "This is delicious! You're so good at baking, Shuuichi!"

"T-thank you. I've… had a lot of practice." Kokichi's expression turned serious, which was almost comical when his face was so messy. "Never mind. It's not important."

"It isn't important, or you don't feel comfortable talking about it?" Kokichi set the cupcake down and licked the frosting away from his lips. "You don't have to talk about it, but if you want to, I'm here for you."

It was an offer he'd gotten many times in the past. The longer he and Kokichi were together, the more he opened up to the other boy. And, well, Kokichi knew about his parents now, so…

"When I was young, my mother decided she would teach me to cook. I learned how to make all kinds of things. I even did the cooking for my uncle before I came to school here. I'm quite good at it." It took a lot for him to admit he was good at something, but he was quite confident in his abilities. "I was ten when she helped me make chocolates for all the boys in my class."

"…You don't have to keep going if you don't want to." Kokichi reached out and took the bag of marshmallows, putting them on the counter. Shuuichi hadn't even realized his hands were shaking. "I know you _just_ had to deal with your parents…"

It had only been a weekend prior since his liberating visit to his parents. He'd held all of his emotions in for so long, and now he thought that maybe it was time to start sharing. To start healing.

"No, it's okay. I want to tell you." Kokichi nodded, gesturing for him to continue. "I had a crush on a girl in my class, and I wanted to make one for her too. A special one. But my mother, she…" He laughed hollowly, still able to hear her words in that sugary tone she always used when she said something particularly cruel. "She said, _But Mei, if you give chocolates to a girl, everyone will think there's something wrong with you. You don't want that, do you?_ And then she went on and on about how good I was at making chocolates, and how every girl should be able to cook, and how proud she was that I was _such a good girl_ …"

The words burned in his throat. He wanted to vomit, just to get the bile out.

"That's _terrible_ …"

"Yeah. It really was." He shook his head, willing the memory away. He didn't want to think about his mother again anytime soon, if he could help it. "So that's why I couldn't make you anything for Valentine's Day. I apologize. I know you like candy, but—"

"But your comfort is more important than me getting chocolate when I know you love me anyway, so you shouldn't be apologizing."

"Thank you…" Shuuichi had a feeling that the vast majority of his classmates would never believe that the boy who played pranks in class everyday was like this when the two of them were alone. He felt privileged to see this side of Kokichi, not just his childish, prankster persona. "But I still feel bad. That's why I took you out to your favorite café the next day. I just felt so guilty. I mean, I try not to shun feminine things, but sometimes I just remember something someone said to me or made me do, and I just want to push it all away."

He wasn't sure Kokichi could really understand, but he didn't really _want_ his boyfriend to understand. Not from a personal level at least. Kokichi had no doubts about his masculinity, even with his wardrobe being at least eighty percent from the girl's department. Kokichi had nothing to prove. Shuuichi knew that maybe he didn't either, but it still felt as if he did.

Kokichi didn't respond at first. Eventually, he reached out and took Shuuichi's hands in his, squeezing them gently.

"I wish I could tell you not to feel bad, but I know it's not that easy. You went through things way worse than I did, and you've stayed so strong! Shuuichi, you're really amazing. I'm _so happy_ you're my boyfriend."

There was a lot Shuuichi wanted to say in Kokichi's defense—it wasn't as if Kokichi hadn't faced his share of bullying too, if for different reasons. They were both carrying some baggage…

But Shuuichi thought that was enough heavy subject matter for one conversation.

"You still have frosting on your cheek." Kokichi shot him a confused look, moving to wipe it off with his hand, but Shuuichi squeezed the hands still holding his and leaned in, licking the sweet almond frosting from Kokichi's face. Then he captured Kokichi's lips, hoping that his kiss would convey all the things he couldn't bring himself to say. Judging by the dazed smile on Kokichi's face when the kiss ended, he was pretty sure it worked at least a little. "I'm happy you're my boyfriend too. I love you so much, Kokichi."

Kokichi buried his face in Shuuichi's chest, winding his arms around him. Shuuichi chuckled and hugged his flushed boyfriend back. That went better than he'd initially thought it would.

Of course, now he didn't have a surprise for White Day…

* * *

White Day came the next day, and Class 79-B, despite boasting a mere _one_ straight couple, could hardly care about tradition. Tenko and Himiko were sharing candies, or more accurately, Tenko was feeding them to her half-asleep girlfriend. Kirumi and Kaede chatted about going out that night when school was finished. Kiibo stared at his newly adorned wrist, looking as if Rantarou's gift had descended from the heavens.

Shuuichi had let Kokichi have the rest of the cupcakes the prior day, and amazingly, he still had two left. Well, one and a half, considering he was eating one at his desk. Shuuichi wanted to lecture him on eating sweets so early, but he was a bit distracted. He thought about the box in his school bag, wondering if he should really do this now. Maybe he should wait until they were alone? Though Kokichi _did_ like being the center of attention…

"Ouma?" It was getting to the point that using his boyfriend's surname was starting to feel odd on his tongue. But he was still a bit embarrassed to be so casual around his classmates. "I… I have something else for you."

He'd originally bought it for Kokichi's birthday, but he had three months to replace it, so he wasn't terribly worried.

"Eh? Saihara didn't need to get me anything else!" His eyes sparkled as he swallowed the last bite of his cupcake. "But I'm still so happy!"

Despite the childish tone Kokichi used to play up the persona he used around their classmates, Shuuichi didn't miss the genuine gratitude in his eyes. It gave him confidence as he took the box out of his bag and handed it to Kokichi. With an excited giggle, Kokichi opened it.

"…Shuuichi Saihara, I'm going to end up proposing to you _before_ we graduate if you keep being the _best boyfriend in the entire universe_."

Shuuichi blushed as a good majority of the class turned to look at the couple. Kokichi was too busy pulling the sweater out of the box and admiring it to pay them any mind. Kokichi had noticed it in a shop window one day when they were off campus and fell in love with it, claiming it would go with half of his wardrobe. Once Shuuichi had saved up all his money to pay for his surgery, he'd started setting aside to by the pricy pink chiffon cardigan. Seeing Kokichi so pleased to have it made the whole thing worthwhile.

He really could have done without the sales clerk asking if it was for his girlfriend, but her expression when he bluntly told her it was for his _boyfriend_ had been rather amusing, in retrospect.

"I thought maybe you could wear it tonight? If you want to go out to dinner, I mean…" He thought of a checkered skirt Kokichi owned, in lilac and plum, that he thought it would look nice with. Maybe feminine fashion wasn't his forte, but he knew what looked cute on Kokichi. "Nothing too fancy, but I thought it might be nice to go out."

Kokichi carefully folded the cardigan back up and place it in the box, the grin never leaving his face as he nodded excitedly.

"I'd like that! Going out with my beloved Shuuichi is always so fun!" Someone in the class started choking. Shuuichi was pretty sure it was Tsumugi. Upon realizing what he'd done, he giggled nervously. "I mean, my beloved Saihara!"

Shuuichi shook his head, giving Kokichi a small smile as he replied," It's fine. I know you call me Saihara mostly for my sake. But it's alright if you want to call me Shuuichi in public." He paused, taking in just how charming Kokichi was when he managed to catch him off guard. It could be a difficult feat to surprise Kokichi. "I'm glad you like the present, Kokichi. Happy White Day."

Memories of the past, his nosy classmates, none of it mattered. Kokichi gave him the most brilliant smile, and Shuuichi felt nothing but blessed.


End file.
